2017 United Women's Soccer season
The 2017 United Women's Soccer season was the 23nd season of pro-am women's soccer in the United States, and the 2nd season of the UWS league.
Changes from 2016
- joined the league and were placed in the newly formed Midwest Conference.
- Syracuse Developmental Academy,[5] Western New York Flash,[6] and Rochester Lady Lancers[7] joined the league and were placed in the East Conference.
- Calgary Foothills WFC[8] and So Cal Crush FC[9] joined the league and were placed in the West Conference.
- The league championship moved to a four-team format, with one representative from each conference (the West conference champions, the winner of the four-team Midwest playoffs, and the winner of a two-team East playoff) and a fourth wild-card team to be determined by record, strength of schedule, travel concerns, and other factors. These four teams are then seeded and play two semifinal matches, with the winners playing in the finals for the league title.[10]
Standings
East Conference
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey Copa FC | 10 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 23 | 7 | +16 | 25 | 2017 East Conference playoffs |
| 2 | Long Island Rough Riders
|
10 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 35 | 10 | +25 | 22 | |
| 3 | New England Mutiny | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 23 | 10 | +13 | 21 | |
| 4 | New York Surf | 10 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 25 | 12 | +13 | 20 | |
| 5 | Western New York Flash | 10 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 18 | 21 | −3 | 14 | |
| 6 | Lancaster Inferno
|
10 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 18 | 23 | −5 | 12 | |
| 7 | Rochester Lady Lancers | 10 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 10 | 35 | −25 | 1 | |
| 8 | New York Magic | 10 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 38 | −34 | 1 |
Source: UWS standings
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head (if only 2 teams) 3) wins; 4) goal difference (maximum +5 goal difference in a game); 5) goals scored; 6) total points in smallest group; 7) points earned against top 4 finishers; 8) points outside smallest group; 9) lottery
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head (if only 2 teams) 3) wins; 4) goal difference (maximum +5 goal difference in a game); 5) goals scored; 6) total points in smallest group; 7) points earned against top 4 finishers; 8) points outside smallest group; 9) lottery
Midwest Conference
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grand Rapids FC
|
10 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 32 | 7 | +25 | 25 | 2017 Midwest Conference playoffs |
| 2 | Detroit Sun FC | 10 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 23 | 12 | +11 | 21 | |
| 3 | Michigan Legends FC | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 21 | 16 | +5 | 15 | |
| 4 | FC Indiana
|
10 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 13 | 20 | −7 | 12 | |
| 5 | Toledo Villa FC | 10 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 16 | 22 | −6 | 10 | |
| 6 | Fort Wayne United FC Gryphons
|
10 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 9 | 25 | −16 | 10 | |
| 7 | Indy Premier SC | 10 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 9 | 21 | −12 | 7 |
Source: UWS standings
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head (if only 2 teams) 3) wins; 4) goal difference (maximum +5 goal difference in a game); 5) goals scored; 6) total points in smallest group; 7) points earned against top 4 finishers; 8) points outside smallest group; 9) lottery
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head (if only 2 teams) 3) wins; 4) goal difference (maximum +5 goal difference in a game); 5) goals scored; 6) total points in smallest group; 7) points earned against top 4 finishers; 8) points outside smallest group; 9) lottery
West Conference
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Clarita Blue Heat | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 5 | +13 | 24 | 2017 UWS national playoffs |
| 2 | Calgary Foothills WFC | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 14 | 13 | +1 | 13 | |
| 3 | Real Salt Lake | 8 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 15 | 10 | +5 | 10 | |
| 4 | Houston Aces | 8 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 21 | 19 | +2 | 9 | |
| 5 | SoCal Crush | 8 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 28 | −21 | 3 |
Source: UWS standings
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head (if only 2 teams) 3) wins; 4) goal difference (maximum +5 goal difference in a game); 5) goals scored; 6) total points in smallest group; 7) points earned against top 4 finishers; 8) points outside smallest group; 9) lottery
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head (if only 2 teams) 3) wins; 4) goal difference (maximum +5 goal difference in a game); 5) goals scored; 6) total points in smallest group; 7) points earned against top 4 finishers; 8) points outside smallest group; 9) lottery
Playoffs
East Conference Playoffs
| Final July 18 | ||||
| 1 | New Jersey Copa FC | 1 | ||
| 2 | Long Island Rough Riders
| 5 | ||
Bold = winner
* =
penalty shootout score
Long Island Rough Riders | ||
|---|---|---|
Hunsberger  86' |
Report Report |
Santoro 39', 51' Elliott 55'Marra 69' (pen.)Antonino 72' |
Midwest Conference Playoffs
Hosted by Grandville High School in Grandville, Michigan
| Semifinal July 15 | Final July 16 | ||||||||
| 1 | Grand Rapids FC
| 11 | |||||||
| 4 | FC Indiana
| 0 | |||||||
| 1 | Grand Rapids FC
| 1 | |||||||
| 2 | Detroit Sun FC | 0 | |||||||
| 2 | Detroit Sun FC | 1 | |||||||
| 3 | Michigan Legends FC | 0 | |||||||
Bold = winner
* =
penalty shootout score
| Detroit Sun FC | 1 – 0 | Michigan Legends FC |
|---|---|---|
| Brough |
Grandville High School
Grandville, Michigan
Grandville, Michigan
Attendance: 630
FC Indiana | ||
|---|---|---|
| Carlson 4' Balcer 14', 26', 43' Lockwood 18' Corby 34' Maher 55' Sagara 65' Paul 73', 83' (pen.) Stinson 78' |
Grandville High School
Grandville, Michigan
Grandville, Michigan
Attendance: 630
Grand Rapids FC | 1 – 0 | Detroit Sun FC |
|---|---|---|
| Kovacs 22' |
Grandville High School
Grandville, Michigan
Grandville, Michigan
Attendance: 641
National Playoffs
Hosted by Grandville High School in
Long Island Rough Riders
(East Conference champion) and Detroit Sun FC invited by United Women's Soccer as a wildcard.
| Semifinal July 21 | Final July 22 | ||||||||
| MW | Grand Rapids FC
| 2 (3) | |||||||
| E | Long Island Rough Riders
| 2 (2) | |||||||
| MW | Grand Rapids FC
| 3* | |||||||
| W | Santa Clarita Blue Heat | 1 | |||||||
| W | Santa Clarita Blue Heat | 3 | |||||||
| WC | Detroit Sun FC | 0 | |||||||
Bold = winner
* =
penalty shootout score
Semifinals
| Santa Clarita Blue Heat | 3 – 0 | Detroit Sun FC |
|---|---|---|
| Castellanos 45+' Lavrusky 63'Castaneda 68' |
Report |
Grandville High School
Grandville, Michigan
Grandville, Michigan
Attendance: 770
Long Island Rough Riders | ||
|---|---|---|
| Balcer 16' (pen.) Kovacs 119' |
Report Report Report |
Modena 9' Venezia 107' |
| Penalties | ||
Lockwood  Steinlage Corby  Stinson |
3–2 | Marra Vasquez Venezia Groth Dutcher |
Grandville High School
Grandville, Michigan
Grandville, Michigan
Attendance: 770
UWS Championship
Grand Rapids FC | 3 – 1 (a.e.t.) | Santa Clarita Blue Heat |
|---|---|---|
| Corby 15' Sagara 97'Balcer 103' |
Report | Lavrusky 14' |
Championship MVP: Michaela Kovacs (
Grand Rapids FC
)
Statistical leaders
Top scorers
| Rank | Player | Nation | Club | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bethany Balcer |  USA
|
Grand Rapids FC
|
14 |
| 2 | Carissima Cutrona | USA
|
Western New York Flash | 11 |
| 3 | Haley Crawford | USA
|
Lancaster Inferno
|
10 |
| Kate Howarth | USA
|
New England Mutiny | ||
| Morgan Santoro | USA
|
Long Island Rough Riders
| ||
| 6 | Madison Schupbach | USA
|
Detroit Sun FC | 9 |
| 7 | Skylar Fleak | USA
|
Toledo Villa FC | 8 |
| Erica Murphy | USA
|
New York Surf | ||
| 9 | Joelle Gosselin |  CAN
|
Calgary Foothills WFC | 7 |
| Kayla Saager | USA
|
Long Island Rough Riders
| ||
| Tori Singstock | USA
|
Michigan Legends FC |
Source:[11]
League awards
Individual awards
- Player of the Year: Deyna Castellanos (SAC)
- Defensive Player of the Year: Caitlyn Clem (DET)
- Coach of the Year: Lewis Robinson (GRA)
All-League First Team
F: Bethany Balcer (
GRA), Carissima Cutrona (WNY
)M: Jackie Bruno (
GRA
)D: Michaela Kovacs ()
G: Caitlyn Clem (DET)
All-League Second Team
F: Haley Crawford (
)M: Brenna Brown (NEM), Chloe Castaneda (SAC), Dani Evans (DET)
D: Jennifer Cafferky ()
G: Emily Burns (CAL)
References
- ^ a b c "United Women's Soccer announces four-team expansion". December 12, 2016. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved December 13, 2016.
- ^ "Grand Rapids FC launches women's team for 2017 season".
- ^ "Indy Premier Soccer Club Joins United Women's Soccer". February 12, 2017. Retrieved February 12, 2017.
- ^ "Michigan Legends F.C. Added To Midwest Conference". January 5, 2017. Retrieved January 5, 2017.
- ^ "UWS East Welcomes Syracuse Development Academy". 11 February 2017. Archived from the original on 13 February 2017. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
- ^ "Western New York Flash Join United Women's Soccer". United Women's Soccer. March 7, 2017. Retrieved March 8, 2017.
- ^ "Rochester Lancers men's, women's soccer teams announced". WHEC-TV. April 8, 2017. Retrieved June 27, 2017.
- ^ Jarvie, Michele (February 16, 2017). "Foothills WFC to compete in United Women's Soccer league". Calgary Sun. Archived from the original on March 26, 2017. Retrieved June 27, 2017.
- ^ "So Cal Crush F.C. Joins United Women's Soccer". United Women's Soccer. February 18, 2017. Retrieved June 27, 2017.
- ^ "2017 UWS Championship & Playoff Info". United Women's Soccer. July 3, 2017. Retrieved July 3, 2017.
- ^ "2016 UWS statistics". Retrieved July 24, 2017.
- ^ "2017 All-United Women's Soccer Awards". United Women's Soccer (UWS). August 2, 2017. Archived from the original on August 3, 2017. Retrieved August 2, 2017.